Self-punching and retaining paper holder



A. M. STE. MARIE SELF-PUNCHING AND RETAINING PAPER HOLDER Filed Nov. 14, 1947 June 20, 1950 INVENTOR. Arthur MSk,Mar/e WWW Patented June 20, 1950 r 2,512,447 SELF-PUNCHING AND RETAINING'PAPER HOLDER Arthur M. Ste. Marie, Old Town, Maine, assignor to T. M. Chapmans Sons Co 0141 Town, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application November 14, 1947, Serial N 0. 785,964 1 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a holder for holding and displaying sheets 'of paper containing advertising matter, posters and the like, and it has for its object to provide a novel construction by which the sheet of paper to be displayed can be easily impaled on supporting pins or prongs and then clamped in position.

In order to give an understanding of the invention, I have illustratedin the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described and after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front View of a device'embodying my invention illustrating the manner in which a sheet of paper is supported'the'reby.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the clamping member.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 -4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view of the device showing the clamping member in open position.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the spring arms act against the clamping member.

The device herein shown comprises a supporting member I which is preferably made of sheet metal and is provided adjacent its lower edge with a plurality of forwardly extending prongs 2 on which the sheet of paper 5 may be impaled. The supporting member I may be attached to a wall in any approved way, and for this purpose it is shown as provided at its upper edge with a plurality of apertures 3 adapted to receive screws by which the said member may be screwed to the wall or to receive the ends of a chain or cord by which said supporting member is hung on the wall.

Adjacent the lower edge of the supporting member I is a clamping member 4 which functions both to impale the upper edge of the sheet 5 on the prongs 2 and to clamp said sheet against the supporting member I.

This clamping member 4 is shown as made of sheet metal. It is channel shape in cross section and presents the spaced parallel top and bottom leg portions 6 and. 1 and the front or bridge leg portion 1. vided with openings II! which register with the portion 8 by which the top and bottom portions are connected. The clamping member is also provided with an upstanding-clamping flange 9 which rises from the rear edge of the' bottom The clamping flange 9- is proprongs 2 and through which the prongs extend when the clamping member is in its operative clamping position.

The clamping member 4 is hingedly connected to the supporting member I so that it can be swung from its open position shown in Fig. 6 into its closed operative position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. v v Q When the clamping member is in its open position, the clamping flange 9 is withdrawn from the prongs 2 thereby leaving a space between the ends of the prongs and the clamping flange through which the upper edge of the sheet 5 to be displayed may be inserted as shown in Fig. 6. After the sheet has been thus positioned, swinging movement of the clamping member from its open to its closed position will cause the clamping flange 9 to bear against-the sheet" and will force the prongs 2 through the sheet thereby impaling the sheet on the prongs.

When the clamping member is in its closed position, it clamps the upper edge portion of the sheet 5 against the supporting member I and thus holds the sheet properly supported by the Spring means are provided which tend normally to hold the clamping member yieldingly in its closed position, but which permit the member to be swung into the open position shown in Fig. 6. The top leg portion 6 of the clamping member is provided with two rearward extensions II which extendthrough openings or slots I2 clamping member in its closed position is herein illustrated in the form of two lengths of spring wire I5, each of which is secured at one end to the supporting member I, and the other end I6 of which is received in the recess I4 of one of the extensions I I.

The supporting member I is provided with two rearwardly displaced portions I! which provide holding means for retaining the spring wires in position, said wires lying against the rear face of the supporting member I and extending underneath the displaced portions H. The innor end of each spring wire I5 is shown as bent laterally as indicated at 18, such laterally bent portion lying against the rear face of the supporting member and serving to hold the spring wire in its proper position. As stated above, the free end 5 of each spring wire engages an extension I l of the clamping member in the rear of'the supporting member, and since the spring arms are normally under tension, each arm exerts an upward pressure against the corresponding extension When the clamping member 4 is moved into its opened position shown in Fig. 4, the extensions H swing downwardly therebyincreasing. the tension of the spring arms l5, and when the clampin member is released, the resiliency of the arms or wires l5 exerts an upward'pressure on the extensions II which tends to swing the clamp- I ing member into its closed position.

,The supporting member may be provided with a peripheral rearwardly directed flange 19 which serves tospace the body of the supporting memher. i sufficiently fromthe wall to. which it is attached to allow free play of the extensions H as the clam-pingmember is opened and closed.

The clamping member is preferably provided centrally with a thumbpiece extension 20 which may be grasped when said member is to be swung into its open position.

The clamping member is. also provided with a sight opening 2! through which a slip of paper may bev displayed containing any desired information. This sight opening is provided for bya channel shaped. member 22: which embraces the front face of the clamping member and whichhasthe sight opening 21; formed therein. Said member 2.2 is retained in position by means of screws 23. When the screws are removed, the member 22 may be also removed and by placing.

the slipof paper within the member 22-, and then replacin iton the: clamping member, the desired. read-ing matter willbe visible through the sight opening M.

The device herein shown. is: simple inconstruction and, inexpensive to manufacture, and it is well. adapted to hold sheets of. paper carrying any kind of material. which is to: be displayed. Such sheets. of paper may be-in the. form of advertisemerits. or in the form. of. posters, or may carry rules and regulations for factory operations, or any other desired reading matter- Merelyfor illustrative purposes the word Notice appears on sheet 5 inF-igr. l to indicate the reading matter carried by said sheet.

To: mount a sheet of paper in the holder, it

is only necessary for the operator to grasp the thumb. piece 2o andv raise the clamping member into the open position shown in Fig. 6 and then insert the upperedge of; the sheet. between. the clam-pmg: member: and the supporting member as also shown in Fig. 6,. and. then. to return: the clamping member to its closedposition- During the return movement, the clamping 9 will impale the upper edge of the sheet on the prongs- 2,, andpthe clamping member when in operative position will hold the sheet thus impaled.

I claim:

1. A. device or the class described comprising a supporting plate having adjacent itsalower-edgea plurality of forwardly projecting paper-piercing and supporting prongs and also having a plurality of openings above the prongs, a clamping member of sheet metal channel shape in cross section and presenting spaced top and bottom leg portions connected by a front portion and directed rearwardly from said front portion, said bottom leg portion having an upwardly extending clamping flange rising from its rear edge, which flange has openings to receive the prongs, the top portion of the clamping element having rearward extensions extending through the openings 'in the'supporting plate and forming hinge members for the clamping member, and spring means on the rear of the supporting plate acting against said extensions and serving to yieldingly hold the clamping member in operative position.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting plate having adjacent its lower edge a-plurality of forwardly projecting paper-piercing and supporting prongs and also having a plurality of openings above the prongs, a clamping member of sheet metal channel shape in cross section. and presenting spaced top and bottom leg portions parallel to eachother and connected by a front portion,- the top and bottom leg portions being directed rearwardly towards the supporting plate said bottom leg portion having an upwardly extending clamping flange rising from its rear edge and provided with openings to receive the prongs, the top portion of the clamping member having rearward extensions extending through the openings in. the supporting, plate and forming hinge members for the clamping member, and resilient arms anchored to the supporting plate on the. rear. thereofi and having their free ends engaging. the extensions, said arms acting through the extensions to yieldingly hold the clamping member in operative position.

3. A self. punching and retaining paper holder comprising av supporting plate having adjacent its lower edge. a plurality of forwardly projecting paper-piercing and supporting. prongs, a clamping member of sheet metal channel shape in cross section and. presenting top and bottom le'g porti'ons connected by a bridge portion, the open side of. said clamping member being, directed toward the supporting plate", means associated with therear edge of the. top. leg portion for hingedl connecting said clam-ping member to the supporting 'plate, the bottom. leg portion of said clamping member having at its rear edge an upstanding. clamping flange provided with openings to receive. the prongs, spring. means located entirely on. the backside of. the supporting plate and acting on the hinge-connection between the clamping. member and the supporting, plate for yieldingly holding the clamping member in operative clamping, position, said upstanding. clamping flange. resting flatly against the supporting plate when the clamping member is. in clamping position..

4. A device of the class described comprising a, supporting plate having adjacent its lower edge aplurality of forwardly projecting paperpiercing and supporting prongs. and also having aplurality of openings above the prongs, aclamping member channel shape. in. crossv section and presenting parallel spaced top and bottom leg portions. and a. connecting frontor bridge portion, the top and bottom leg portions: being directed rearwardly towards the. supporting plate, thetop leg portion having. rearward extensions extending through the openings in the supporting. plate. the terminal portions or said extensions on the rear of said plate each being curved to present a groove on its under face extending parallel to the supporting plate, spring wires, one for each rearward extension, anchored to the supporting plate on the rear thereof, each spring wire having its end portion engaging in the groove of one of the rearward extensions, said spring wires acting through said rearward extensions to yieldingly hold the clamping member in clamping position, the rear edge of the bottom leg of the clamping member having an upstanding clamping flange which lies flatly against the supportin plate when the clamping member is in clamping position, said flange having openings to receive the prongs.

ARTHUR M. STE. MARIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 256,248 Slafter Apr.'11, 1882 268,834 Slafter Dec. 12, 1882 327,553 Heysinger Oct. 6, 1885 958,801 Gibbs May 24, 1910 1,245,963 Patterson Nov. 6, 1917 1,613,208 Sutclifie Jan. 4, 1927 

